11/17/2025
It's been two years since the word "cancer" changed everything. Two years of fighting, healing, growing, and discovering who I really am when everything is stripped away. Looking back now, I see a journey marked not by what was taken from me, but by what was revealed—a strength I didn't know I had, a faith that became my lifeline, and a love that carried me through the impossible.
I'm not the same person I was two years ago. Cancer tried to break me, but by God's grace, it's refining me instead.
This journey has tested me in ways I never imagined. Since then, my family and I have faced waves of anxiety, fear, and uncertainty that we never thought possible. There have been nights where the worry felt suffocating, where panic gripped us in the darkness. There have been mornings where getting out of bed took every ounce of strength I had, where simply putting one foot in front of the other felt like climbing a mountain.
But through it all, we've discovered something powerful: we are stronger than the storm. Not because we're perfect or fearless, far from it. But because we refuse to face it alone, and because God has never left our side. Even in the moments when I couldn't feel His presence, He was there, carrying us when we had no strength left to walk.
My faith and my family have been my foundation through every storm. There were moments when I questioned everything, when the weight felt unbearable, but my faith never wavered. It carried me through the darkest valleys, whispering hope when fear tried to take hold. Prayer became my refuge, my family became my reason to keep fighting, and together, they reminded me that I was never walking this path alone. My faith didn't just sustain me; it transformed me, teaching me to surrender my fears and trust in a plan greater than my own understanding.
My family, they are my heartbeat. Their love gave me purpose on days when I had no strength left. Every sacrifice they made, every tear they wiped away, every moment they chose to stand beside me rather than crumble under the weight, it humbled me beyond words. They celebrated my smallest victories and carried me through my lowest moments. We held each other up when one of us was falling. We cried together, fought together, and found our way back to hope together. I am who I am today because of their unwavering devotion.
I am deeply grateful for the small victories along the way —moments of pure joy that broke through the heaviness. A sunset that took my breath away, unexpected laughter with loved ones, the simple gift of feeling good enough to be present. Our incredible "village" showed up in ways that still bring me to tears—meals delivered, prayers lifted, hands held, hope shared. You know who you are, and you will forever have a piece of my heart ♡
This experience has completely reshaped how I see the world. I've learned that resilience isn't about being strong all the time, it's about getting back up, even when you're broken. I've discovered beauty in ordinary moments and learned to hold life a little more gently, a little more gratefully. The refining fire of this journey has burned away what doesn't matter and revealed what truly does: faith, family, and the precious gift of each new day.
To anyone walking through their own storm right now: You are not alone! I know how isolating fear can feel, how exhausting it is to keep fighting when you're already so tired. I know about the sleepless nights and the mornings that feel impossible. But please hear me, there is strength within you that you haven't even tapped into yet. Lean on your faith, hold tight to your people, and take it one day, one hour, one breath at a time. Let yourself be refined, not broken. Your story isn't over. There is hope, there is help, and there is a community of warriors who understand. You are seen, you are loved, and you are stronger than you know. And most importantly—God has not forgotten you. He is with you in the fire.
As I look ahead, I carry these two years as sacred gifts, proof that faith moves mountains, that family is everything, and that gratitude can coexist with pain. The journey continues, but I walk it differently now, with deeper faith, fiercer love, and an unshakeable commitment to live fully, authentically, and with a heart wide open.
I/We kicked cancer's ass, and we're still standing strong!
❤️ 🙏
📷 Carly Murphy Photography
